Welcome to The Snow and Avalanche Foundation of Scotland (SAFOS)

SAFOS was originally formed in 2001 and has a number of roles including:

• The provision of advice to sportscotland on the Scottish Avalanche Information Service.
  
• Providing a forum for discussion of, and support for, research on avalanches in Scotland.
• Promoting a better understanding of the avalanche problem amongst all who use the hills in winter conditions in conjunction with representative bodies.
• Giving advice on course content and syllabi for all levels of avalanche training and supporting appropriately qualified providers.

Storm at 500m – Northern Cairngorms

The SAFOS board meets twice a year to discuss issues related to the provision of avalanche forecasting, education and research in Scotland. The board members provide advice to sportScotland on the provision of avalanche forecasting in Scotland, and come from a wide range of backgrounds.

SAFOS has also organised a number of seminars over the years, designed for both mountaineering professionals and the public, and addressing issues such as the history of Scotland’s avalanche problem, decision making and heuristic traps, avalanche education and developments to the format of the avalanche forecast. An important element of these seminars has been bringing together experts, both from Scotland and abroad, to discuss issues relating to Scotland’s unique avalanche problem. SAFOS is proud of its role in facilitating these seminars and, more importantly, allowing many diverse organisations to discuss and contribute to developments in Scotland.